News

Larry Hagman diagnosed with cancer

The 80-year-old actor, who starred as JR in long-running US series Dallas, will go ahead with filming TNT's revival of the soap.

Larry Hagman has been diagnosed with cancer but says he will continue to shoot the new series of Dallas.

The 80-year-old actor, best known for playing JR Ewing in the 1980s series Dallas, didn’t specify what type of cancer he had but said it was a “very common and treatable form”.

“As JR, I could get away with anything—bribery, blackmail and adultery. But I got caught by cancer,” he said in a statement to America’s TV Guide.

The actor is currently working on a new Dallas series for TNT and says he has no plans to pull out because of his illness.

“I will be receiving treatment while working on the new Dallas series.
I could not think of a better place to be than working on a show I love, with people I love. Besides, as we all know, you can’t keep JR down,” he said.

The new Dallas series focuses on the Ewing offspring as they clash over the future of the family dynasty and will also star Patrick Duffy, Charlene Tilton and Linda Gray. New cast members include Jordana Brewster, Julie Gonzalo, Josh Henderson, Brenda Strong and Jesse Metcalfe.

Hagman, who also started in the 1960s series I Dream of Jeannie, has had serious health issues in the past—he underwent a life-saving liver transplant operation in 1995 after admitting he had been a heavy drinker.

Dallas started in 1978 and continued for 13 seasons to 1991. Hagman was the only actor to appear in all 357 episodes. - guardian.co.uk